Student competes for national title

By SAMANTHA MILLS

The award was named in 2002 for Todd C. Smith who participated in FSPA when he was in high school and wrote for the Tallahassee Democrat, the Tampa Tribune and other renowned newspapers after college. Shining Path guerrillas killed him while working on a story in Peru.
“I submitted it in February and didn’t hear back for about a month, so I tried not to think about it and continue with my studies,” Ballard said.
Anyone could apply for the award but one must be an outstanding senior journalist, which for Ballard meant not only being on Legend yearbook staff, but working for the Orlando Sentinel’s Varsity Life section of the paper. Ballard created a unique portfolio showcasing his best work for the Florida Scholastic Press Association judges.
“I went on websites and looked at posters and formulated my own unique design,” Ballard said.
Ballard was given encouragement to do this earlier on by his yearbook adviser Renee Burke, who he thought of as his biggest inspiration. He remembered in December about 10 days before it was due.
“I would have given myself more time,” Ballard said. “I waited till the last minute and I felt like that negatively impacted my submission as a whole.”
When FSPA announced the winner, it wasn’t Ballard but he did come in second place and received a plaque along with $300. Carson Bailey, of Oveido High School, received first place and was a finalist at the national level.
“I was disappointed because I hate losing but I’m still proud of my second place finish,” Ballard said.